Ground Fire
by Glaux Bryonia
Summary: Dumbledore trusted the Dursleys but McGonagall didn't, so she tracked down some other non-magical relatives. More distant relatives, and seemingly friendlier. Funny how a bout of accidental magic can change the fate of a clan. Now the remaining Uchiha must hide their fire until they're ready to rise from the ashes. Which happens to be easier when you have a wizard in the family.
1. Chapter 1

**I always wondered how McGonagall could be so vehemently against leaving Harry with the Dursleys and yet do nothing. I can imagine her trying to find other suitable – preferably non-magical – relatives but not succeeding because the families are down to their last members or wouldn't be able to keep him hidden. In this AU however, quite a lot remain.**

… **For now.**

**To my great regret I do not own _Harry Potter_ or _Naruto_. **

**Japanese terms I leave in Japanese, as well as the names of the techniques. The latter because the English names always sound slightly ridiculous in my ears. Plus they're often shorter in Japanese.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Minerva McGonagall was seething. Mad enough hex someone. She'd been worried when Dumbledore left the last Potter at the Dursleys, so she'd stopped by for another round of observation in the morning. What she'd seen had sent her blood boiling.<p>

How could Dumbledore be so _blind?_ She knew he liked to believe the best of people, but she had expected better from him. Was there really no alternative? No, she refused to accept that. Minerva understood the need for a non-magical family, but surely Lily had more blood relations than just that woman!

Lips pressed into a thin line, she marched down Diagon Alley to seek out one of her old students, ignoring the elated population celebrating Voldemort's demise. She was not in the mood for festivities. In her hand she clutched two small vials, one containing a few drops of blood, the other a couple of short black hairs.

In one of the narrow side streets she found the shop she was looking for. A small bell chimed pleasantly when she came in. Behind the counter a woman in her late twenties looked up and gasped with surprise. "Professor McGonagall! Dear me, what are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon to you too, Miss Ranonkle. I'm here for business, I'm afraid," she replied, reigning in rage with stiff politeness. "Tell me, do you still research ancestries?"

"Ancestries? Why, yes. But why do you need-?"

"I'm afraid I don't have time for lengthy explanations," Minerva interrupted with some regret. Miss Ranonkle had been a very good student and deserved better than being treated like this. Alas, so had Lily and James. "This is of the uttermost importance and has to be kept secret. Do you have a place where we can speak in private?"

Bemused, Celestine Ranonkle nodded and led her old professor to a small back office. Sitting down behind the desk she asked, "So what are you looking for?"

Minerva didn't reply until she'd made sure no one could listen in, casting a few powerful silencing charms on the door and windows just to be safe. Then she sat down too. "I'm terribly sorry for being so rude, Miss Ranonkle, but I have to demand an oath from you before I can answer that." She gave a tired sigh. "Please, I wouldn't ask this if it wasn't important."

Celestine eyed the older woman for a long time, before giving a sigh herself. "You promise it won't be harmful?"

Minerva smiled just the tiniest bit. "It's just that this ancestry must remain secret at all costs. The one in danger of being harmed is the one who this is about."

Celestine contemplated that for a short moment, before nodding. "Be my witness?"

"Naturally." Minerva raised her wand, ready to make the oath binding.

The young woman took a deep breath and placed her hand over her heart. "I, Celestine Ranonkle, vow hereby to keep everything Minerva McGonagall and I discuss behind closed doors today, secret. May Magic be my Witness, and punish me if I break my Word."

A single strand of light jumped from Minerva's wand to wrap around the younger witch's wrist. It glowed for a moment, before fading. Minerva sagged in her chair. "Thank you, Miss Ranonkle. I know I'm asking much."

Celestine shrugged, before leaning forward, interested to find out what this was all about.

Minerva straightened in her chair and cleared her throat. "In the wake of the events on All Hallows Eve, Dumbledore had taken upon himself the task to ensure young Harry Potter's safety." She ignored a surprised gasp from the younger witch. "He found some relatives on Lily Evans' side and placed him there under the protection of several powerful Blood Wards. The Wards remain in place as long as he can call the home of a relative his, or until he comes of age."

"Wow. Of course I'd wondered what happened to him," Celestine said, a bit dazed, "But Blood Wards… That's ancient magic." She shivered. "But if he got a home, why do you need my help?"

Minerva pressed her lips together, anger rearing its head once more. "Because those muggles are utterly unsuited to raise him."

"Muggles?!" Celestine yelped. "He left him with _muggles?"_

Minerva gave her a disapproving look.

"I'm sorry," Celestine said hastily. "I just didn't expect- So you need me to see if there's someone better suited?"

"Indeed," Minerva said. "And it needs to be done quickly. I don't trust those people not to harm him. They fear anything they do not perceive as normal."

Celestine groaned. "Great. You know I need some stuff for this, right?"

Minerva nodded and placed the vials on the desk. "I've got here a bit of hair and blood. This ought to be enough, if I remember correctly."

Celestine raised the small crystal containers to get a closer look. "Should be okay. Wait a moment, I should have everything I need. Ancestry is popular among the more curious muggleborns. It's funny how often I discover they're descendants of squibs. Explains a lot too."

Minerva offered a small, indulgent smile as her old student chattered along while she gathered the ingredients.

A beautifully carved wooden bowl was placed on the desk. It's inside was covered with a fascinating circling pattern Minerva knew symbolized all of creation. It was joined by a potion that looked like a night sky made liquid, shadows swirling like unseen creatures, obscuring the stars as they moved through. Four crimson candles, fine black dirt in a jar marked 'Godric's Hollow', a big, rolled up sheet of fresh parchment tied closed with a white ribbon, and a deep red potion in a silver inkwell.

"Right, this ritual isn't what you call difficult, but some of the components are hard to get by," Celestine said professionally. Minerva nodded, eying the bowl with curiosity. Celestine pointed at it with pride. "This is made out of ash driftwood. Ash is said to be a part of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which connects everything in this world with its branches. Driftwood, because only one who has been cast adrift, away from his relatives, would need this ritual. It unites the Seeker and Those Who Are Sought."

She waved at the other components of the ritual. "Red candles, for the blood relation. Four, for the four points of the compass. Soil from his birth place, his roots. The _Praeter Lectionem_, to reveal what time and distance have hidden. Fresh parchment and Blooming Ink to create the family tree."

Minerva smiled at Celestine's composed enthusiasm. "I'd ask how you knew his birth place, but in light of recent events that would be a foolish question."

Celestine smiled. "Well, there are ways to complete the ritual without the soil, but those demand blood from the parents or get ridiculously complicated."

Then Celestine set to work, diligently and precise. She grabbed a handful of the dark earth and started to create an intricate diagram on the desk with the bowl in the middle. It was tedious work, but soon she had it completed and placed the four candles on the edges facing the four directions. Carefully she poured in the two potions, which immediately formed layers like oil and water, with the Ink sinking to the bottom of the bowl.

Last she added Harry's blood. The mix started to glow. The magic was invoked, whispering through the air in anticipation.

Then Celestine lighted the candles with her wand, starting with the East. "Great East, Rising Sun," she chanted, "You who mark the Dawn of Day, I beg you to reach to the Dawn of this Family." One of the hairs curled in the flame as she burned it. The mixture glowed a bit brighter.

"Gentle South, Embracing Haven. You who are warm as Summer's Peak, I wish for you to trace every Birth." Another hair burned.

"Grim North, Unforgiving Fortress. You who are cold as mourning, Winter's Heart, I wish for you to trace every Death."

Last she lighted the candle of the West, burning the fourth hair as her voice trembled on the edge of singing, "Mighty West, Setting Sun. You who mark the Evening, I beg you to find Those Who Still Exist In The Present."

The light was so intense now, Minerva had to shield her eyes. She smiled with pride as her old student expertly completed the ritual, magic humming a vibrant crescendo. Celestine grabbed the parchment and stabbed one end into the bowl.

"Reveal to me this child's Kin!"

With a final flash all candles were extinguished, silence falling like a striking hammer. The bowl was empty. The ribbon had turned red.

Carefully Celestine cleaned the desk, before unrolling the parchment. Both witches eagerly bowed themselves over the intricate family tree. With great care they traced thin, blood red lines of decent. The Dursleys were quickly found and disregarded. Then Celestine whooped with joy.

"Found it! Here's a living branch!" Eagerly they traced the fine lines to another enormous spider web of relations.

Minerva was a bit surprised to see the connection existed through just a single person. But this person had been the husband of the only child of the Potters. Their daughter, Harry's great-grandmother, to be exact. Normally that would have meant the end of the Potter name, but apparently this man had preferred to take his wife's name.

And this man had had siblings, whose descendants still lived today. It made their claim very strong. Better yet, there was a good chance the Blood Wards would take. She carefully wrote down the name.

_Jin U-chi-ha._ The scratching of her quill was very calming.

A foreign name, and a big family with several dozen living members. There was no way they wouldn't be able to find a better home for Harry. She sighed in relief. Carefully she wrote down the names. _Fugaku. Haruka. Midori. Kaien- _At ten she stopped. Among those there had to be at least one person who could be trusted to take decent care of an orphaned baby. Some of those already had families of their own, others seemed to be old enough to take such responsibility upon them. All were direct descendants of Jin's siblings.

For the first time in forty-eight hours she felt confident things would be alright. She smiled at her list.

Celestine was eying the family tree. "Maybe we should burn this," she said thoughtfully. "Can't have someone figure out where he is."

"I'd agree," Minerva said, "Were it not I might need it to convince the Uchiha's to take him in. I'll destroy it afterwards."

Celestine nodded and rolled it up, carefully retying the ribbon. "Here you go then, Professor."

Minerva accepted the document. "How much do I owe you?"

Celestine shook her head. "What happened to Harry Potter was terrible, but it saved us all. This is the least I could do." She smiled. "Just make sure he'll be alright."

Minerva nodded, touched by the gesture. Proud how well her student had turned out.

"Thank you, Miss Ranonkle." She turned to leave.

"Oh, Professor?" Minerva paused to give Celestine a curious look. Celestine gave her an apologetic grin. "Could you please let me know when you succeed?"

Minerva smiled tiredly. "I think I can do that."

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Minerva shivered in her cloak, careful not to trip over any roots in the dark. The Forbidden Forest wasn't a hospitable place, especially at night. She had slept a few hours, but then the need to ensure little Harry's safety had demanded she'd no longer dawdle. Which was good, for already the first bruises had marred the baby's arm. Had Lily and James been still alive they would have murdered Albus for even _considering_ those people. He was lucky her own temper had mellowed with age.

Gingerly she shifted the slumbering bundle in her arms. The eagerness with which the Dursleys had handed him over disgusted her. Dumbledore could go sit on a mountain and freeze, she'd do what was _right._

So now she was stumbling through the forest, a bag with the necessary documents over her shoulder, also containing some food and hot drinks. It saddened her there hadn't been any toys she could pack for the child. The fire had destroyed everything.

Making sure little Harry was comfortable, she raised her wand to levitate a big piece of raw meat a little higher. She should be far enough now- Ah. Gleaming white eyes emerged from the shadows, fixed on the meat. She wasn't overly fond of Thestrals, but no one could deny they were useful creatures. As good as postal owls, and capable of carrying far heavier loads.

She gave the bony creature some time to enjoy it's meal, before throwing a thick tartan cloak over its back and climbing on. With some well aimed Sticking Charms she ensured she wouldn't fall off. She was a bit too old to depend solely on muscle power. The Thestral gave her a curious look, munching on the remains of what had been enough pork to feed ten people.

"I need to find Fugaku Uchiha," she told the beast. Fugaku, first great-grandson of Jin's older brother. His claim would be the strongest. She prayed he would prove willing. Such a big family, who knew where they all lived? She didn't feel like flying the whole night.

The Thestral didn't give a sign it understood but dutifully launched itself into the air, gaining altitude with every beat of its massive wings. Minerva clutched Harry tightly to her chest, despite the Sticking Charms ensuring he wouldn't fall. She carefully avoided looking straight down and ignored the lack of control she had over her mount.

This was why she didn't like Thestrals.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

As it turned out, Fugaku Uchiha lived very, _very _far away. Foreign name, yes, but she hadn't expected him to live outside Europe! Seldom had Minerva been more grateful for her magic. Little Harry and she would have arrived as icicles otherwise. Luckily the Thestral didn't seem to mind the cold. Or the distance. Which was a relief all on its own. The trip would have taken days otherwise.

She smiled painfully. Young Severus would make some very scathing comments right now about Gryffindors jumping head first into the unknown. He might even be right this time.

In her arms, little Harry stirred beneath the sleeping spell she'd cast on him, reminding her once again why she was doing this. She sighed. She'd come too far to return now anyway.

Finally, when the morning sun had already crawled from behind the horizon in a flood of eye-watering brightness, she could feel a shift in the Thestral's flight. A descend. Very mild, they wouldn't be landing for some time, but the mere fact that the animal was gliding to lower altitudes was a very welcome sign. Stiff and aching, she shifted her grip on her slumbering cargo. She didn't see any land yet, but then again, she didn't see much of anything with the sun right in front of her and the haze of early morning hiding the world beneath her from view.

There was no trace of the barrier until they went through it.

Suddenly surrounded by hissing mist, Minerva let out an uncharacteristic sound of surprise. A strange energy crackled against her skin, trying to ward her out, but the Thestral flew on, unperturbed, carrying her along.

Just as abruptly as it had appeared it was gone, making the professor wonder if she'd imagined it. She'd barely slept after all. Then, all thoughts of the odd incident flew out of her head. She gasped. Beneath her, out of nowhere, stretched an unknown country. Mountains and forests covered the surface, and in the distance she could see what appeared to be a rocky plain.

_What on Earth-? _But she wasn't a witch for nothing. Hidden area's were quite common in the magical community. Though area's hidden from magical people were significantly more unusual. She'd never heard from something that came close to resembling the size of this place. Even dragon reserves weren't this big, and dragons needed a _lot _of space.

She shook it off. She'd do some research later. For now she had a man to find.

With the mountains beneath her and the morning sun shining brightly she could keep better track of how fast they were flying. Which came down to _very fast, _despite the time they'd be on the wing already _._ Unfortunately, the Thestral didn't seem inclined to descend any further, which meant there was probably still quite some distance to cover. She sighed.

Eventually, rocky mountains made way for lush forests, green broken only by lighter colored plains and reddish-brown rocks, glints of silver between the foliage betraying the presence of the many rivers criss-crossing the land. Lakes reflected the pale blue sky, tiny dark specks that were probably boats making their way over the surface. Every time they passed a city Minerva's heart sprung with hope, but the her dark-winged steed continued to fly.

She was almost dozing – the warm sunlight made her drowsy – when suddenly everything dipped forward and down, the world rising to meet them. She bit back a startled yelp, instead clinging tightly to animal and child, eyes again wide and awake, immediately noticing the village in front of them.

_Finally!_People were probably missing her at Hogwarts right now. And if not yet then they would soon.

_But first I need to handle this. _Priorities. Hogwarts could handle her absence.

Despite the early hour there was a lot of activity on the streets. Not wishing to make a grand entrance she renewed the Notice-Me-Not and Disillusionment Charms on her and her companions. She was here for business, not to startle people out of their skins. Tired as she was, she _really_ didn't need the hassle.

Mere minutes before touchdown she remembered to cast the Translation spell she'd looked up for this occasion. A flick of her wand at one of the unsuspecting people beneath her and a tap against her head fixed any language problem she might face, the spell ensuring the dominant language of her unknowing victim would roll off her tongue as easily it would off his.

They landed on a paved path in the midst of a serene garden in front of what had to be the front door, even if the design was unlike any she has seen before. She took a moment to brace herself for the upcoming conversation, as the loss of James and Lily was still a raw wound on her heart.

Minerva dispelled the charms just as a man with black hair and even darker eyes slid a big window-like panel to the side and stepped out. There were odd lines near the corners of his mouth, giving him a sombre appearance despite his expression being neutral.

She frowned. There's something decidedly odd about the way the man first looked at her and then at the child in her arms that had to be little more than a shapeless bundle of cloth from were he was standing. His eyes even strayed to the Thestral behind her, without any of the disgust or apprehension she was used to see on people.

Just before sudden oblivion dragged her under Minerva realized what was off.

He wasn't surprised.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Fugaku looked at the elderly intruder and at the foreign creature she had arrived with. Pale, seemingly sightless eyes stared back at him with detached disinterest, not the smallest sign of unrest at it's mistress' sudden departure from the world of the conscious. Though that was just his genjutsu at work. No need to risk having a rampaging Summon on their hands. Absentmindedly he shifted the warm bundle in his arms to a more comfortable position, the infantile chakra signature inside like a downy feather drifting on a barely-there wind, still deeply submerged in the land of dreams.

A child. The woman had been carrying a child. Now that was a puzzle.

"ANBU-san," he called to the shadow behind him, "Would you mind informing the Hokage that the situation seems to be contained?"

The ANBU that had barged in through his window in the wake of a quietly frantic message that something uninvited had passed the village's perimeters, nodded politely.

"Seems your illusions did the trick, Uchiha-san," observed one of the Interception Division members, the ones who had delivered said message. "Got to be the weirdest invasion ever. Weird Summon too. Definitely not what I expected when the Detection Division started yelling."

Not what _any _of them had been expecting, especially when their uninvited guest had headed straight for Clan grounds. He'd been ready to slash the intruder into tiny bits when he received the news. Everyone was still on edge, even though the Third War had been over for almost three months now. When it came to his Clan he wasn't taking any chances.

_Time to dig out some answers._

It was quite fortunate so many Uchiha worked for the Police Force. So much easier to arrest someone.

Soon they had the lady all tied up and ready for questioning. The Interception Division members had returned to their posts, leaving the case the Police Force's responsibility. Fugaku observed the woman, waiting for her to recover from his illusion. For now her lack of weaponry spoke in her favor, though they had found an odd polished stick on her person. That had been slightly alarming. Naturally he had prepared for unknown jutsu and had two of his clansmen standing by. Uchiha were the best for these kind of situations, and Yashiro and Haruka were some of his most levelheaded officers. The child had been left in his cousin Suzume's capable hands. For now they would assume their invader hadn't turned the baby into a trap. A revolting possibility, but a real one nonetheless.

After a few minutes the woman stirred. Blinked groggily, giving the room a confused once-over. Shook her head and tried to move.

Fugaku raised a mental brow. Another anomaly. A shinobi would have immediately noticed the restrains.

"What-? What's going on?" She frantically looked around and finally noticed him. "Who are you?"

_Slow responses, little alertness and clearly no idea what happened. _Her behavior was almost civilian.

Fugaku paused and considered that thought. She had a Summon but no recognizable weapons. Barely any muscles yet a strong chakra signature, the feel of it completely foreign. Very little situational awareness. Unless she had some unusual techniques she couldn't be a shinobi or she wouldn't be this old. Civilian with a Kekkei Genkai?

"That's what I'd like to know," Fugaku answered.

She drew herself up as well as she could, given she was tied to a chair. Gathered stern dignity around her like a cloak and said, "I came here with a child. Where is he?"

"The child is being cared for. Who are you and why are you here?"

Something like relief flickered over her face and she calmed noticeably. "I am Professor McGonagall from Hogwarts, Scotland. I came here to find his family. His parents were murdered and there is no one suitable where I come from."

He raised his brow for real this time. "You have a name?"

She nodded, stiffly regal despite the exhaustion that visibly dragged at her alertness. A small part of him wondered exactly how far away this Hogwarts was. "I'm looking for the Uchiha's. Fugaku Uchiha in particular. I understood he could be found here."

Inwardly Fugaku frowned at the odd ordering of names. Self before Clan. Either foreign customs or a very odd insult. For a moment he pondered the wisdom of revealing himself but then reminded himself why she was here. One of his Clan. If she spoke the truth, that is.

"I am Uchiha Fugaku. Do you have proof?"

She nodded, hope and relief almost chasing the wariness off her face. Expressive. If she was an actor she was a damn good one. "In my luggage should be a roll of parchment. I had someone... do some research to get the names."

Not a lie but not the truth either. No matter, he would find out.

Still looking at the professor he called, "Haruka-san."

"On it." Professional as always. Fugaku had to wait only a few moments before the other Uchiha returned with the item. Haruka handed it over without a word and resumed his position just out of their invader's sight. Fugaku put on a pair of gloves before he unrolled it. No need to take any risks.

Parchment. _Real _parchment. The anomalies were piling up. Maybe it was something traditional?

Then he saw the spiderweb of thin red lines, connecting what could very well be names written in a foreign language. He'd seen similar symbols once in the Decoding Division's library, when he was younger and recovering from a rather painful leg wound and bored out of his wits. If he remembered correctly he'd copied a slew of dictionaries and phonetic alphabet translations with his Sharingan and had worked though some decoding exercises before taking a crack at the most recent brain-breaker. A good mental exercise when a physical one hadn't been allowed.

It took some digging – those memories were _not_ recent and not that much used either – but then everything resurfaced with the clear, razor sharp quality of Sharingan-made memories. Frowning slightly, he compared mental with visual images, sounded the words out in his head, and discarded all dictionaries. Names. And the simple symbols carried no meaning beyond sound.

Going more slowly, he repeated the words letter for letter in his head. Many names were as foreign as the language they were written in, but then he got to the place were recognition reared its head after being prodded a bit. Huh. Seemed to be correct. The lady had good informants.

He made a mental note to deal with that problem later.

"What's the child's name?"

"Harry Potter."

He made a sound when he finally found the little tyke near the bottom of the page. Retraced red lines once more.

Well, it wasn't perfect, but he'd be damned if he risked abandoning one of his Clan to foreign hands just because he couldn't be sure he had a fabrication on his hands. At least the child was too young to be a spy. He'd have him checked for any potentially hostile jutsu later.

"I see. If returning him to us was all you came here to do, consider your task fulfilled." Dark eyes blazed in warning, and he saw her blanch just the tiniest bit.

She shifted, evidently hesitating, before straightening her spine and looking him straight in the eye. Huh, the lady had guts. Not many would face such a clear threat head on. "There is more," she declared. "As you agree to take him into your home it is only fair to warn you. Harry's parents had a special... ability, so to say, and there has been evidence Harry has it too."

Fugaku raised a brow. Parents. _Plural_. But only the father was related to the Uchiha, if the evidence could be believed. _Not_ the Sharingan then. Another Kekkei Genkai?

McGonagall drew a fortifying breath. "The Potters are an old magical family. From what Albus told me, Harry has performed his first accidental magic already. Albus Dumbledore is- was a friend of the family. He visited them once or twice in the final year." The last words sounded as if she was biting back tears.

For a moment Fugaku didn't move, unwilling to believe her claim. _Magic. _Impossible. He studied her face, taking in the grim tension of her mouth and the earnest light in her eyes, silently demanding he would believe her. Fugaku wanted to refuse, but then again, _civilian._ Some Kekkei Genkai abilities might be considered magical by them.

"And what does this 'magic' entail?" Fugaku asked, very carefully watching for that spark of triumph that was so hard to suppress when one was falling for your deceit.

Nothing, only genuine relief. Genuine, or a very good act.

"I can show you," she answered, "I have the same ability. If you could untie me?"

Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "Alright," he said slowly, bumping his foot against the table seemingly by accident, signaling to his men to be ready for anything. The silence outside shifted to something sharper.

"And I need my wand," McGonagall said, appearing completely oblivious to the by-play as he released the ropes with a small flick of his kunai.

Wand? Ah. So they'd been right, the odd polished stick was used for a jutsu. Silently he handed the item over, barely able to keep his surprise in check when he felt her foreign chakra respond to the wand's presence.

Then she gestured with the piece of wood and _the table turned into a pig_. Complete with matching sounds and smell.

_What the-?_

Fugaku stared for a long moment, composure rattled and suddenly very, _very_ wary. He knew illusions. This wasn't one. And if she could do the same with people...

Then she gestured again and the table returned as if nothing had happened.

"A transformative ability?" Fugaku inquired calmly, pretending he wasn't one wrong twitch away from drawing a kunai and skewering her.

A tight smile was his answer, not viciously triumphant like one having successfully lured another into a trap, but surprised and honestly pleased with his reaction. "Not exactly," McGonagall corrected. "Transfiguration is only a small part of magic. Other fields include Charms, Potions, and a wide variety of offensive and defensive curses and hexes, commonly referred to as Defense against the Dark Arts."

Fugaku eyed her, carefully weighing threat against information. "Explain."

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Several hours, two guard shifts, and a burned (but Sharingan-memorized) family tree later Fugaku had a very late lunch brought in, earning him a grateful look from their magical visitor. While Fugaku consumed his noodles, his mind was racing with possibilities. He had thoroughly interrogated McGonagall – self proclaimed witch and teacher at Hogwarts, which was apparently a school for those with her ability – and had demanded several more demonstrations, each exceeding his expectations. Apparently magic was less like a Kekkei Genkai and more like the ability to use chakra in general. If little Harry truly possessed the same talent then Fugaku might have a potential triumph card comparable to the Third Hokage on his hands. Even more so if the child would also turn out to be true to the Uchiha bloodline.

And the old lady was willing to just hand him over. Inwardly he was shaking his head at her naivety. _Definitely _a civilian. Though supposedly it had also to do with strong Blood Wards that were tied to the child and the followers of an S-class criminal wizard being out for his blood. The Clan Head scoffed in the privacy of his own mind. He wouldn't stand for a bunch of fanatical morons threatening one of his. If they showed up here they would die, plain and simple.

Suzume had already confirmed the presence of a powerful, foreign jutsu clinging to the boy. If what McGonagall had said was true then it would invoke a protective barrier once Fugaku had accepted his cousin into his home to ward out anything magical out to cause his cousin harm. Fugaku didn't mind as long as it wouldn't interfere with other jutsu or their duty as shinobi.

So. Now Harry was here he belonged to the Uchiha. And to ensure such a promising member of his Clan would be well cared for and his talents carefully cultivated, he would become one of Fugaku's own. Itachi would like a little brother and Mikoto would love a new little one. Itachi was so independent already.

Inwardly he smiled. On the outside Fugaku was still as chillingly professional as at the beginning of this whole mess. It seemed that the witch found that disconcerting. Fugaku couldn't bring himself to care. Civilians had such delicate feelings.

"You said he'll receive an invitation once he turns eleven?"

McGonagall dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin and nodded. "Yes, his parents had him signed up directly after he was born. I'm confident he'll make a great wizard."

_Taught in a school headed by an old man who has already made a critical mistake regarding his wellbeing_, Fugaku thought. He would make sure the boy would be able to defend himself when the time came. 'Dangerous are those with good intentions', as the old saying went. Though he wasn't sure the old wizard's intentions were as benign as McGonagall sketched them. Fugaku was quite sure the lady's were, but look where they landed her. About to hand over the savior of her world (which sounded ridiculous and quite suspicious in his opinion; he refused to believe that an S-class wizard had been taken out because of a 'miracle') to people she didn't know, acting as if blood and first impressions alone were enough proof Harry would be well cared for. Had her encounter with the Dursleys taught her nothing?

But he wouldn't mention any of that now. She wasn't entirely wrong. He _would_ make sure Harry would be safe, though not the way she likely expected. Best to let her leave with the belief he would mindlessly bend to their plans for Harry's future and shape the child into someone capable of derailing those plans when called for.

A knock on the door frame made his guest visibly startle. "Fugaku-sama, Mikoto-san has arrived."

"Tell her we're coming. We'll meet in meeting room three."

Fugaku caught the confused look in McGonagall's eye. "Mikoto is my wife," he told her gruffly. Once his decision had been made he hadn't wasted time asking for her to come pick up their newest family member.

The witch nodded in comprehension.

A few moments later they arrived with Suzume in tow, his twenty-year old niece still carrying his new cousin. The boy was still sleeping. Fugaku took the opportunity to take a closer look, immediately noting the scar on his forehead. So that was all that remained of a supposedly lethal curse. It wasn't that bad, as far as scars went. The shape was unusual, but its position would make it easy to hide should Harry choose to do so when he was older.

Quiet footsteps down the hall alerted him of his wife's arrival. Mikoto entered, pausing only to sweep her eyes through the room. An expression of gentle inquiry decorated her face, belying the barely noticeable tension of her shoulders.

Inwardly, Fugaku smiled. Once a shinobi, always a shinobi. He raised a brow, wordlessly asking about their son she'd been watching.

She smiled. "So what was so important you interrupted my talk with Midori?"

Ah, so he was at Midori's. Good. Under the watchful eye of another ANBU-turned-housewife, Itachi and his cousin could play as much as they wanted. Back to matters at hand then.

Fugaku gestured to McGonagall, who had taken the opportunity to sit down again and who's lack of sleep was painfully obvious to their trained eyes. "This lady came here to return one of our Clan to us." _We already verified,_ his eyes told her.

He took the sleeping child from Suzume and handed the bundle to his wife. She took it with a look of wonder. "Meet Potter Harry, it seems he and I are third cousins."

Gently Mikoto stroked the sleeping face, careful not to show any reaction to the scar, already deducing something had happened to Harry's parents because otherwise the older woman wouldn't have brought him to the Clan. She shot Fugaku a questioning glance.

_Later,_ his eyes promised her.

"Well, he looks like he could use a more comfortable place to sleep. I'm sure Midori would like to meet him too." Mikoto bowed. "If you'll excuse me?"

With a kiss to her husband's cheek she left, mindful to keep her movements smooth and soothing as she cradled the newest Uchiha in her arms. A look from Fugaku prompted one of the officers to accompany her back to the compound, earning himself a fondly exasperated look. Fugaku refrained from rolling his eyes. Despite her mild manners, his wife was still a strong warrior, who did not appreciate having her skills questioned, no matter how indirect. Fugaku almost smirked.

A sniff from beside him distracted him, and he almost raised his eyebrows when he saw the mournful sadness upon McGonagall's face. Hmm, seemed she was more attached to his cousin than she'd let on. Looked like Albus Dumbledore hadn't been the only friend of the family then.

He gave a mental snort. Well, that was a given. If he would ever have to choose which one to go to, he knew who he'd pick. It hadn't been Albus Dumbledore who had made the considerable effort to track down Harry's clan, and it hadn't been Albus Dumbledore who had delivered him were he belonged instead of leaving him in an ill-suited home. Today McGonagall had proven her loyalty to Harry's parents, honoring an obviously valued friendship and doing the Uchiha a great favor. Fugaku would not forget that.

Part of that debt he'd repay now, allowing her to leave with minimal fuss. Normally she would have faced imprisonment for trespassing into Konoha uninvited and without regard for regulations, especially because though little Harry had needed his Clan, it hadn't been an actual emergency. But Fugaku had seen enough of her to know that her prime concern had been getting Harry to a safe home; he would be able to bring enough arguments to the table to satisfy the Hokage.

"Well then," McGonagall said, gathering herself, "I should take my leave." A small, rueful smile. "They will have noticed my absence by now, and there is still a lot of work to do even though the war is over."

Fugaku could relate to that. Their own war had barely ended as well. "I'll show you out."

A few minutes later he was carefully watching her Summon's process through the sky, having to focus to keep her odd jutsu from distracting him. A familiar presence came to stand beside him, having arrived without a sound and just as carefully attentive to their disappearing guest.

"A very odd visit."

Fugaku nodded, acknowledging the unvoiced question. "You could say that. But her intentions were good. She didn't know where she'd landed, or even in what for place. To her, arriving like she did was merely a bit unusual, not something to warrant an attack, let alone a lethal one. And she has given her word she would keep the details of his whereabouts secret, even from her boss, at least until his eleventh birthday." He smirked. "Apparently she is quite cross with that Dumbledore."

"I see." Minato smiled at him. "Well, I guess that is one crisis averted then." A sunny grin. "Now where is your baby cousin? I do expect to be introduced of course."

Fugaku barely refrained from rolling his eyes at his superior. "As if you don't know already."

Minato hummed. "Well, it's considered polite to ask..."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Word list:<strong>

**_Ground fire_: fire that consumes the organic material beneath the surface litter ground, such as peat fire. Mean, nasty, hidden fire, that is often untraceable above ground. That is, until it suddenly surfaces and gobbles up several hundred hectares of forest. Tricky stuff. Can burn for years.**

**_Praeter Lectionem_: lit. 'past reading'.**

_**Jutsu**_**: art/technique/skill; both singular and plural, as m****ost Japanese nouns do not change form as they do in English. Most nouns (with the exception of nouns referring to people) have no plural form. For example: 'cat' and 'cats' are both the same word **_**neko**_**.**** Or, in this case, **_**jutsu**_** is used for both one and several techniques.**

**_Genjutsu_: lit. 'illusionary techniques'. Includes various techniques to attack the mind (as opposed to ninjutsu, which attack the body). Uchiha are generally quite adept at using them.**

**_Kekkei Genkai_: lit. 'a technique limited to inheritance by blood' or 'Bloodline Limit'. Basically abilities that are passed down genetically within specific clans. It's possible for a shinobi to have more than one of these abilities.**

**Japanese honorifics:**

**_-san_: this is the most common honorific, and is equivalent to Mr, Mrs, Miss, etc. It is the all-purpose honorific and can be used in any situation where politeness is required.**

**_-sama_: one level higher than –san, it is used to confer great respect.**

**_-dono_: comes from 'tono' which means 'lord'. It is even higher level than –sama and confers utmost respect.**

**_-kun_: is used at the end of boys' names to express familiarity or endearment. It is also sometimes used by men among friends, or when addressing someone younger or of lower station.**

**_-chan_: is used to express endearment, mostly towards girls. It is also used for little boys, pets, and even among lovers. It gives a sense of childish cuteness.**

**[blank] = often forgotten, but perhaps the most significant difference between Japanese and English. The lack of honorific means that the speaker has permission to address the person in a very intimate way. Usually, only family, spouses, or very close friends have this kind of permission. Known as **_**yobisute**_**, it can be gratifying when someone who has earned the intimacy starts to call one by one's name without a honorific. But when the intimacy hasn't been earned, it can also be very insulting. In this story it won't play a big role, mostly because Harry will skip a lot between the Hidden Continent and England.**

**Author's notes/rambling:**

**I've always been of the opinion that Thestrals are depressingly under appreciated. My reasoning: **

**Thestrals fly pretty damn fast judging from the description and the fact that Harry and co. didn't get tired enough to fall off in their trip from Hogwarts to London in book 5. And from the description Thestrals aren't the easiest rides when it comes to staying seated in mid-flight. Not to mention the student's muscles weren't used to what was demanded of them for that (had to clench tightly to avoid being ripped off by the slipstream) and hadn't started seriously cramping yet (they recovered fast from the flight), so the ride was something between the 5 to 20 (30 at absolute most) minutes. Add to that the fact that the Hogwarts Express needs about 7 hours (11 o'clock in the morning till what I estimate to be 6 o'clock in the evening) to travel the same distance in what I'm assuming a straight line at, say 125 km per hour (max speed for passenger trains pulled by the Russian B-series steam locomotive around 1910), without stops. That's about 875 km, give or take, covered in more or less 15 minutes. That is circa **_**3500 km per hour**_** ( and magic is definitely being the excuse for**_** that**_** particular impossibility).**

**Lets say for convenience sake that the Hidden Continent (aka, the Naruto world) is very closely located to Japan, with Japan being an island just out of the coast (ignore the geographical impossibilities, okay?). Would explain the similarities between the cultures. From Tokyo to London is about 9577 km. Now, assuming Thestrals fly slower over large distances, say 1750 km per hour (based on difference between jogging and sprinting speed of humans), that takes about five and a half hours (both the Hidden Continent and Hogwarts are a bit further, so say the McGonagall's trip takes six to six and a half hours). **

**Which is **_**less than half**_** of the time it takes by plane (roughly 11,5 to 17 hours depending on where you're going; direct flight).**

**Is that awesome or is that awesome?**

**I know there is no mention of Thestrals having the same skills as postal owls for finding someone, but as there are more comfortable means to get from Hogwarts to the Ministry I find it very weird that six random Thestrals can find it **_**down to the exact location of the visitor's entrance **_**(as seen in **_**The Order of the Phoenix**_**)**_**. **_**Okay, **_**maybe**_** one of them had been there before and lead the others. Which is still unlikely as the Ministry is doing it's damn hardest to keep them away from the muggles, so landing one in front of the visitor's entrance probably wouldn't go over well. Then again, no one claimed wizards were rational. **

**Yes, Fugaku and Harry are third cousins. I decided that when comparing the average lifespan of shinobi and wizards, and the years between generations. James and Lily might have been young (close to shinobi standards, with parenthood occurring somewhere between twenty and thirty), but Charles and Dorea Potter were supposed to be quite old for children (around forty?). With the high turnover rate of shinobi, I think it is not unlikely that you get four wizard generations for every five shinobi generations.**

**And to give credit where credit is due: the ritual was inspired by _The Goblet of Fire_.**

**Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review, I enjoy reading them very much.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know a lot of you are happy with the fast update, but don't get your hopes up. This chapter I had already mostly written out before I was halfway chapter one. The next, unfortunately, I've barely even started on. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Yo, cousin, you're in?" Shisui called, pausing to blink at the various oddly colored objects lying around, the center of the small disaster zone that had been the house's main living area being his second-youngest cousin, Harry. Shisui had actually come for Itachi, but curiosity got the better of him. "Hey Harry, what're you doing?"<p>

The three year old giggled at him, holding up a toy kunai. Shisui's eyebrows rose as the previously blue kunai turned red. It was a blotchy red, with leftover splashes of purplish shades, but it was definitely Harry's accidental magic. "Hoh, practicing again, huh? You remember what Mikoto-oba-sama said last time you did that?"

Harry frowned at him. Cocked his head in thought. Frowned again. "Okaa-chan sayed no."

"That's right," Shisui agreed. "She doesn't like it when you dye everything."

"Didn't dye everything!" Harry protested. "Only my weapons."

Shisui looked around. One of his aunt's Ikebana works had acquired an interesting pattern of oranges and neon greens that clashed horribly with the original purple flowers. The table and tatami mats looked like someone dropped a bucket of paint on them, or rather, _several_ buckets. And the cupboards looked like they'd been on the receiving end of a maniac with a grudge against normal color combinations. "... Just your weapons, huh? I know some shinobi got really weird weaponry, but you take the cake, little cousin."

"Cake?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No cake," Shisui corrected, grinning at Harry's crestfallen face. Only last year had Shisui been told about the Clan's A-class secret that was Harry's unusual ability, though for now it had only manifested as a sneaky version of paint bombs and some minor levitation. Since then he'd gotten the task to help Harry practice whenever he could, just like every other Uchiha old enough to know how to keep their mouths shut.

Because of his ability Harry had never left the Uchiha compound, which fortunately was quite big, and he wouldn't until he was old enough to understand no one but family was allowed to know about it. One day his ability would be a major ace up their sleeve, and the less people knew about it the better. If only for his little cousin's safety, because with his potential he was a very tempting target for anyone wishing to have his talent at their command. At three years old he was still very easy to mould.

The mere thought of some bastard laying his hands on his baby cousins always managed to tick Shisui off, and by now he had a whole slew of creative punishments thought out in case someone would try. Compared to Harry, Sasuke might be 'just' an Uchiha, but Uchiha were _always_ targets. Itachi had helped, wearing a mean little smile that was way too scary for a seven years olds face. No one would touch Itachi's little brothers – even if one had been adopted – and get away with it.

Shisui had already finished his time at the Academy – he graduated early – and had heard many lectures over the course of the years about the dangers of having a Kekkei Genkai. Harry's ability might be impossible to steal, but that didn't mean certain kinds of people would not be interested. Emotional manipulation, brainwashing- his little cousin had a long way to go before he'd be safe. At least everyone who lived in the compound would rather commit suicide than let one of their own befall such a fate. Uchiha took care of each other.

"Shisui-kun?"

His Aunt Mikoto poked her head around the door giving him a welcoming smile that made Shisui feel warm inside. She had welcomed him readily after Shisui's own mother had been killed during the Kyuubi attack almost two years ago, and Shisui – too young to be on his own but old enough to grieve, his father dead for as long as he could remember – had let her drag him off to her home where Itachi had hugged him within an inch of his life to comfort him, and Harry had rather adorably copied him. Shisui loved his little cousins, as they never failed to cheer him up. Even in the midst of mourning they had soothed some of the aching emptiness left behind by his mother, and nowadays he lived more at the Clan Head's house than in the too empty home of his parents.

When he was told about the Blood Wards surrounding the compound a year later Shisui had thought – spitefully, hatefully – that they had failed, as the Kyuubi had still rained destruction down upon the village in his rage. What use where they if they didn't even work? Later, when he had gotten past the initial wave of old grief, he realized that maybe they _had _worked. After all, the Kyuubi had remained on the other side of the village, never venturing near the Uchiha compound. Because of that he was alive, and his cousins were alive, and if he was absolutely honest, he wouldn't wish it differently. His grief would have been nothing compared to Aunt Mikoto's if she had lost her three children, and his mother wouldn't have wanted it either. Shisui still had the rest of the Clan, and Aunt Mikoto had become his surrogate-mother in all but name. For him it was enough.

And to be honest, the way his cousins had adopted him as their sort-of-older-brother was just cute, and gratifying as well. He'd found he liked playing big brother.

"Ah, there you are, I thought I heard you. Itachi is upstairs...," his aunt trailed off as she got a good look at the room, and sighed. "Harry?"

Shisui chuckled as his little cousin tried to squirm out of his grip. "Sorry, Harry-chan, I'm afraid you're busted."

"Shi, lemme go!" Harry squealed, obviously not wanting to face his adopted mother's ire.

"Uchiha Harry, what have I told you about using your ability?"

Shisui left a guiltily squirming Harry to Aunt Mikoto's stern scolding, unable to keep in a snicker at the trouble his little cousin had gotten himself into. With Harry occupied for the time being he could do what he came here for, and poke Itachi into joining him for a spar. His eldest little cousin was quite a good partner and a prodigy to boot, evening out the three years and differences in ability between them to acceptable levels. Uncle Fugaku was expecting him to graduate after just a year in the Academy, so in Shisui's opinion Itachi's homework could wait.

He grinned. Itachi wouldn't agree, but that was half the fun.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

"Come on, Harry-kun, concentrate," Haruka said, patient as a snow-topped mountain. He was sitting cross-legged before of his younger cousin, whom had been trying to consciously levitate the heavy book lying between them for more than an hour now. "You said it 'just _happened_', so don't think about actively moving the book. Just put it somewhere else, without using your hands."

The four year old scowled, frustrated, and then forced himself to relax and guide his magic without actually thinking of guiding it. The book shivered, the corners trembly lifting from the ground, before Harry's hold slipped for the umpteenth time that day.

_If he puts anymore force in that glare, _Haruka thought coolly amused, _he might just accidentally set it on fire._ Which Haruka wouldn't mind in the slightest. Spontaneous ignition would make for a very useful ability once Harry would get it under control, and it would be quite fitting for an Uchiha. The fan wasn't the Clan's symbol for nothing.

And until Harry would learn to control it... they were _Uchiha._ Playing with fire was in their _blood._ Their elemental specialty being Katon was no accident. Consequently, the Clan had long ago learned how to handle stray flames. Not only was nearly everything within the compound fireproofed in one way or another, _everyone_ knew how to put fires out. With blankets. With sand. With stomping on it until you felt your leg was about to fall off. And if all else failed, with explosions and some of the less destructive Suiton.

It was interesting to see if he could push Harry into roasting the book. Not to mention entertaining.

"Again, Harry-kun," Haruka intoned calmly.

They managed three more attempts before Harry's temper almost audibly snapped.

"_Stupid, _stupid_ book, move it, damn you-!"_

Aaand, _whoosh._ Haruka stifled a self-satisfied grin. There had been a good reason why he had insisted on practicing on the sand beds of the rock garden, despite how it would disturb the raked patterns. He took in the merry little bonfire the book had been reduced to, and the deer-in-the-headlights look on his young cousin's face.

"That was not what I told you to do."

Harry flinched and looked suitably chastised. To soften the reprimand Haruka gave him an encouraging smile. "But well done. We'll be practicing that from now on too."

For some reason, this did not seem to encourage his cousin. Oh, well. Haruka couldn't bring himself to care.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

"Alright, my pesky little cousins! Today you're gonna learn about some of the most endearingly dangerous critters there are in our forests! Pay attention so I won't have to set you on fire for punishment." Kaien grinned at them, arms folded over his chest as he sat cross-legged between several boxes of varying sizes. Mikoto hid a chuckle at the blank faces he received from her youngest children. Itachi's lips were twitching.

"... Okaa-san, is he serious?" Harry asked, giving his older cousin a dubious look. At least Kaien's older brother Haruka had fit the image of a teacher. Kaien was a bit too... enthusiastic. He acted way to much like a little kid for a twenty-two year old. It made Harry wonder how Kaien was ever given the rank of Jounin.

"Oi!"

Mikoto smiled at the indignant shout. "It's your own fault Kaien."

"He is. But he is also an expert," Itachi said, quietly amused by his brothers' lack of trust in their overly energetic cousin.

"What are you doing here anyway, Nii-san? You know all this already. You're already a _Chunin,_" Harry said, trying to raise a brow at Itachi. He was too young to make the action anything but endearing. The five year old pouted at his brother when Itachi couldn't suppress a smile.

Kaien sniggered. "True, but it is good to review sometimes. Memory isn't perfect."

"Even with the Sharingan?" Sasuke pipped slyly. Or what passed for sly when you were four.

Itachi nodded. "Even with the Sharingan."

The older Uchiha cousins laughed at the scandalized looks from the youngest two.

Mikoto smiled as she put a comforting hand on their shoulders. "It's true that the Sharingan memorizes everything flawlessly, but it is like a library. Copying is just the first step to gaining a new technique. You need to remember the things you have before you can use them."

Kaien nodded, grinning. "Yup! One way to to remember is meditation. You sit down and pick up every copy in your library so to speak. Practicing doesn't hurt either, especially when you want to master them. Another way is making a list, copy it with the Sharingan, and then burning it, but it's more tedious. Plus you need writing tools. And people might read it."

He clapped his hands. "So! Our darling little prodigy will be sharing this lesson with you. Any questions? No? O-kay then!"

Kaien then launched into an extraordinary and completely over-the-top tale about the wonders of Konoha's forests. He made them sound more like something out of a fantasy novel, the way he waxed poetic about all the dangerous creatures and plants that could be found there. Harry happily giggled along with Sasuke as his older cousin made grand gestures to emphasize his story. Itachi just sat next to them, patiently smiling and sometimes nudging them to get their attention back on the lesson.

Kaien was busy bringing some boxes over when Harry heard it.

"_Damn, bloody bastard, you'll pay for this-"_

Harry frowned. He looked around, trying to find whoever was speaking. There was no one.

Maybe he imagined it? But no, there it was again, using words that would have certainly caused Aunt Uruchi to wash his mouth out with soap if she ever caught Harry saying them. It sounded pretty serious too. Alarmed, Harry looked around once more. No one! But he was sure he heard it!

The third time he was interrupted by a pebble hitting his forehead. "Oi, brat! Pay attention!"

He blushed at his cousins' curious looks and held back the urge to rub the smarting spot. Why were they ignoring the voice? Did they know about it?

"_Filthy, disgusting-"_

Discreetly Harry once more looked for the source, so concentrated at not letting Kaien notice he almost jumped out of his skin when someone touched his arm unexpectedly. Itachi wasn't even bothering to give him an admonishing look and continued observing the animals their teacher was showing them. The message was clear. _Pay attention._

Harry shifted and tried his best to ignore the voice. Itachi was ignoring it too so it was probably okay. Maybe it was a test to see how well they could deal with distractions?

_Oh no…_

He whimpered soundlessly. If so then he had failed when even Sasuke had noticed the test, and Sasuke was a whole year younger! Uncle Fugaku would be so disappointed…

The rest of the lesson he did his best to commit everything to memory to make up for his mistake. Hopefully that would ease his uncle's disappointment a little.

A Konoha Leech, a Purple Scorpion Centipede, and a small, highly venomous jumping spider he hadn't managed to remember the name of later, he was successfully tuning the voice out. It helped that the class was so interesting. Kaien was a gifted storyteller and had brought living examples because _pictures don't do these beauties justice!_ Cousin Kaien was a bit silly that way. Not that it was a bad thing.

Right now he was taking the next creature out of its box, careful not to get bitten or stabbed or whatever it did that made it dangerous. Harry leaned forward, only subconsciously noticing the voice's increased profanities.

"Look here cousins, this one is one of my favorites." With a theatrical gesture he lifted the animal, keeping a firm grip on its triangular head. "Now _this_ is a Ruby Fire Whip. Lovely creature, lovely venom-"

It was a snake. More than three foot long, the serpent was all slender muscles covered in honey colored scales that reflected the light with a hint of orange as it twisted in the shinobi's grip. On its back it had thin, ruby patterns of flame-like diamonds. It was indeed a beautiful creature.

Harry was staring at it incredulously, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Hey Harry-chan? You okay back there?"

Harry didn't pay them much attention, instead caught completely by the litany of death-threats coming from the foul-mouthed reptile.

"Harry? Itachi, give him a shake will you?"

His cousin blocking his view snapped Harry out of it. Then he got angry. "So that's what it was? That's ridiculous!"

"Harry?" Itachi blinked at him with surprise, quite a strong expression of emotion from his usually composed cousin. Sasuke and Kaien looked the same.

Harry ignored it and glared at him. "You can quit the act, should have known you'd be in on it, " Harry muttered resentfully, hurt to see all three of them in on the test, or joke, or whatever it was supposed to be. Even _Sasuke!_

"In on what?"

"You know what!" Harry glared at them. They got him, so now they could quit playing dumb, thank you very much.

"Harry," Kaien said calmly, carefully putting the snake away, only the tensing of his muscles indicating a different state of mind, "Just pretend we don't know and tell us what's wrong."

"What, so you can all laugh at me? You know it sounds stupid!" Tears pricked behind Harry's eyes. Why were they dragging it out?

Kaien put a calming hand on his shoulder, face serious. "Alright Harry, I get you're upset. But tell us, even if it sounds stupid. We promise we won't laugh." He threw a sharp look at the other two. "Right, Itachi? Sasuke?" Both boys nodded.

"You're being mean." Harry sniffled.

Kaien gathered him in a hug. "Please, Harry, tell us what's wrong?"

"But you know anyway."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Liar."

"Harry. _Please._"

Harry huffed angrily. "You made that voice come from the snake. Why do you keep saying you didn't?! It's not funny!"

Above him cousin Kaien was silent. O-kay, that was _it._ if his older cousin wanted to play stupid Harry would let him. He struggled to get out of the embrace. Kaien just tightened his arms. "Kaien-!" Turning, Harry's angry tirade was cut off by the expression on his cousin's face. Kaien's eyes were wide and he was staring at Harry.

"You heard the snake talk?" Kaien asked quietly. Next to him Itachi and Sasuke shifted closer, worried looks upon their faces.

Harry scowled. "_Yes._ It's a _really_ bad joke," he said in the iciest tone he could manage. Which unfortunately wasn't really that icy. Nothing like his uncle's.

"Harry…" Kaien said slowly, "There is _no joke._"

Harry frowned. "But I heard it!"

A raised brow. "Can you still hear it?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of _course_." The snake wasn't exactly quiet about its displeasure.

Kaien took a deep breath. "_Right._"

He reached behind him and dragged the box next to him, forcing Sasuke to relocate to Itachi's side. A grate was keeping the snake from escaping and it wasn't pleased about that _at all._

"_Idiotic beasts! Release me! I'll kill you, and make your corpse a nest for my eggs-!"_

Harry glared at the creature. "Shut up. You're annoying."

Silence. Harry blinked. Huh, he hadn't expected it to work.

His eyes met Itachi's, who was staring at him as if he suddenly announced he was going to wear dresses from now on. Sasuke looked the same. As did Kaien. Even the_ snake_ was staring!

Harry crossed his arms and glared at all of them, trying to hide his unease.

"Harry…" Sasuke said uncertainly, "Why did you hiss?"

Now it was Harry's turn to stare.

"... I think I should go talk to Fugaku-oji-sama," Kaien said tersely.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Kaien knew it was silly, but he felt just a little bit better when his Clan Head seemed to be just as surprised as he had been when he heard Harry's newest talent.

"He heard the snake talk?"

"Yep. Harry-chan told me some of its threats. Very creative reptile, that one."

"You're sure he didn't make them up?" Fugaku asked, more out of obligation than actual doubt. It _was_ a very unusual ability. Then again, it might come with the magic.

Kaien snickered. "As he had to ask what a couple of words meant, I doubt it. Plus he seemed genuinely surprised some of the threats were actually possible."

Fugaku rubbed his forehead, thinking. "Check if it goes for all snake species. If so then we'll have to look into getting him a Summoning Contract."

Kaien nodded. And then abruptly groaned when he realized exactly how much work Fugaku had saddled him with. The next few weeks he'd be busy for sure.

"Can't Harry just ask one whether they all speak the same language?"

Fugaku shrugged. "He could, but I'd like to check anyway. Snakes might perceive the concept of species differently."

Kaien sighed, defeated. "Can I at least get help?"

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

After Kaien had closed the door behind him, Fugaku poured himself a cup of sake with a thoughtful air. Speaking with snakes. Rodents would have been more useful, seeing how those tended to follow humans like starved dogs would the scent of fresh meat, and would have made fairly competent thieves if you'd manage to get them trained properly. Or even just placing listening devices would be useful.

But snakes made effective assassins. And though they stood out more, they were still capable of infiltration if the situation called for it. It was unfortunate they were quite vulnerable to temperatures, but despite that Fugaku could already see many advantages.

Taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage and savoring the ensuing warmth radiating from his stomach, Fugaku returned to his work. There were still many questions about Harry's abilities, but those would be answered with time. Instead, from all the conundrums the whole magic-issue had brought him, the most worrying one didn't originate from Harry.

No, it was the document their distant acquaintance had brought them. The family tree.

Created through a ritual using blood and hair and birthplace soil, there was no doubt about the correctness of the results, the elderly witch had told him. According to her only very powerful blood magic would have been able to throw that ritual off. Given how his confusion centered around an Uchiha that had been born and raised in Konoha, Fugaku thought it reasonable to rule out that particular scenario.

Which meant Uchiha Obito was alive, when his teammates and the Fourth Hokage himself had sworn he had been killed on a mission during the Third Shinobi War a couple of years back.

Fugaku had made inquiries of course, even going as far as to request a private audience with the Fourth and the last member of his old Genin team. Needless to say neither Minato or Kakashi had been very pleased. Fugaku had kept quiet about the true origin of his source, but otherwise he had told them that he'd found some worrying evidence that Obito might have survived that fateful mission back then, weaving some tale about a rumor of a shinobi matching his description and a couple of jutsu that were minor Uchiha Clan secrets.

That, of course, had immediately raised the alarming question of why Obito had never returned home then, and none of them had been able to come up with an answer. The most probable guess had been that Obito had been captured, but why one would bother nursing a severely wounded Genin back to health they hadn't been able to guess. It couldn't have been for his Sharingan, as one eye had been destroyed and the other had been in the room with them at that very moment. Kakashi, old grief in his uncovered eye and one hand unconsciously touching the hitai-ate that protected Obito's gift to him, had told them quietly it couldn't have been for any potential offspring either, as much of his lower body had been crushed as well.

They hadn't gotten anywhere and had decided not to do anything but keep an eye out, just in case.

And then the Kyuubi had attacked, claiming Minato's life and that of his wife, and the aftermath had demanded every drop of energy they had had to offer. From the signs Minato had tried to leave a clue, but none had been able to unravel it because someone had wiped most of the blood away that had made up the message.

Fugaku had mourned the Fourth's passing. Though they had not been friends Minato had been a man worth respecting, and one who handled the more hotheaded members of the Uchiha Clan with maddening calm and a sunny smile, devoid of even a hint of the hidden wariness his predecessors had always shown the them. Probably because unlike his predecessors Minato hadn't had close ties with the Senju Clan, nor had he been deeply ingrained with the old rivalry between Konoha's oldest clans that had never quite disappeared despite numerous claims from the previous three Hokage.

Minato had been a breath of fresh air, and in the wake of his death much had been lost. Not in the least the Clan's more favorable position within the village, as some ancient fools had chosen the wrong time to remember Uchiha Madara had been the last to use the great Tailed Beast in battle. As if the past was merely a record set on repeat and ancestors and descendants were one and the same!

Ashes, it irritated him to no end. For decades the Uchiha had upheld the peace within Konoha, offering the services of their most talented members for the betterment of the village, and after all of theirs that had bled and died for them the fools still believed the Uchiha would betray them? Had they forgotten that this was the Uchiha's home as well, and that none would have trusted something like the Kyuubi that close to their children? Controlled or not, that thing was a menace! They had witnessed personally what one long-ranged chakra blast of that beast could do, how could they believe any of the Uchiha had been safe?!

The Kyuubi was old and powerful and _intelligent. S_omething must have happened to weaken the seal. Seeing how a couple of days before Kushina had still been heavy with child and her son had been bloody and naked when they found him afterwards crying his lungs out, Fugaku had a pretty good idea what it had been. The Kyuubi probably had used the weakened state of its Jinchuuriki to break free during her labor.

Fugaku heaved a tired sigh. It had been several years, and the whole issue still hadn't been solved, despite the Third's cooperation. He just hoped by the time his two youngest would enter the Academy the situation would be better. Besides the fact that he did not want to have to pay some moronic fools a visit for bothering his sons, he did not think any conflict would last long without Harry's accidental magic lashing out. Not when they were training Harry to use it in the first place. And he did _not_ need the trouble of having to find an excuse if, say, an annoying classmate was suddenly turned pink from head to toe without any sign of actual dyes being used.

He sipped his sake. Oh well. They would cross that bridge when the time came. For now he could still keep his adopted son safely within the walls of the compound.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Harry was sitting in his room, curled up on his bed, refusing to face his brothers after what happened. They probably thought he was weird now. He sniffled. It wasn't his fault he had a weird Kekkei Genkai!

A knock on the door, before it was pushed open. "Harry?"

Itachi, looking worried beneath his composed appearance. Harry winced. He didn't want to talk to Itachi right now. Then he noticed the messy hair of his younger brother peeking from behind Itachi's elbow. That was even worse.

"Can we come in?"

"... And if I said no?"

Itachi took this as a yes, ignoring Harry's obvious reluctance. Sasuke followed close behind. They sat down next to him on his bed, Sasuke even going as far as to try to see his downcast face. Harry made no move to make it easier for him.

"Are you okay?" Itachi's voice was calm, almost quiet, and eased some of his tension. Harry nodded jerkily.

"We won't think any less of you, you know?"

One green eye peeked at him through messy black bangs. Itachi offered him a reassuring smile. Sasuke, already bored with the seriousness, made an attempt to climb on his shoulders. Itachi shrugged him off, making their giggling brother roll against Harry with a squeak.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked him. "Itachi-nii-chan promised to train with us, remember?"

Harry hesitantly glanced at his older brother. Itachi poked him on the forehead. "And you were so enthusiastic this morning. Is your Kekkei Genkai bothering you?"

Harry slowly shook his head. "You?"

He went red when he realized how vague his question was, especially because Itachi seemed mystified. "Of course not. Why would it?"

Harry fidgeted. "I mean, about the snake..."

"So do I. I repeat, why would it?"

"... Because it's weird?"

Itachi made a very un-Itachi like sound. "I've seen a lot weirder. Did you know the Aburame have insects living inside them?"

Harry scrunched up his nose. "Ew."

"Exactly. Now will you remain here sulking or are you coming to training?"

Harry hesitated and received another poke in the forehead for it. He huffed but couldn't maintain his pout. A grin broke through. Itachi smiled at him.

"Don't forget to bring your kunai."

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Itachi knocked on the door of his father's study, before sliding it open and peeking inside. "Otou-san, you wanted to see me?"

It was late, well past dinnertime and Sasuke really should have been to bed already. Instead he clung to his older brother's shirt while trying to prove he wasn't sleepy. Itachi was fondly exasperated. At least Harry had had the sense to go to bed after the day he'd had.

"I do. Itachi, Come in. Sasuke." His father gave his youngest a stern look. "Go to bed." Fugaku was sitting at his desk, turning away from his paperwork to give Itachi a once over before directing him to the pair of zabuton in the corner. Itachi gave Sasuke a goodnight hug before nudging his little brother into the direction of his room, earning himself a pout and a sullen _'night, Nii-chan_. Closing the door behind him Itachi knelt down on the cushion, choosing to take the formal seiza position instead of the more casual crossed legs, as his father calling him to his study always had to be taken seriously.

Then he waited patiently for his father to sit as well and speak.

"Todays situation requires some explaining, I believe. Though you've been very considerate to Harry, you have to be aware of the extend his Kekkei Genkai is and it's importance to the Clan. Know that this knowledge is not to be shared without my permission."

Itachi didn't react, knowing his father wouldn't approve. Instead he waited patiently and quietly for the information his father saw fit to impart. It earned him a barely-there smile.

"Now listen carefully-"

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Itachi was very quiet when he prepared himself for bed that night. He knew Harry was actually his cousin, but it had never mattered. To him, Harry had just been his little brother-in-all-but-blood. Now, it seemed, that last bit had turned out to have some very unexpected consequences. He had known Harry's ability was rare, and he had known that people would be _very_ interested if they ever found out – as in, unhealthily interested – but Itachi had never imagined it to be this _big_.

Snakes. Transformations. Levitation. _Curses_. The list was long and daunting.

And Harry would be able to do it all. Now he knew why his mother had always been adamant he would not take Harry outside the compound till his adopted brother had learned to _never_ even _hint_ at what he could do. And why his father had insisted Harry trained the ability, even when it had just consisted of color changes and some very weak levitation.

_Magic._ A form of energy manipulation as diverse and powerful as chakra. And Harry could use _both._

Absentmindedly Itachi wondered whether an aspirin would be a good idea.

Of course, in the end it didn't really matter. Harry was an Uchiha. He was a target anyway. One reason was enough to be trouble, so one more didn't really matter. _One killing blow or twenty; you can only die once._

Not that Itachi would let Harry die. Harry was his little brother, no matter what genetics said. Anyone out to harm him had to go through father, mother, and Itachi himself. And from what his father could tell about the accidental magic, chances were that even if someone succeeded, they'd be in for a _surprise._ And not the ambush-with-confetti-and-cake variety.

Still. Maybe it was time to review some of his traps...

* * *

><p><span><strong>Word list:<strong>

**_Zabuton:_ a Japanese cushion meant for sitting.**

**_Ikebana:_ flower arrangement, Japan style.**

_**Hitai-ate:**_** the headbands/forehead protectors shinobi wear. Basically a strap of cloth with a rectangular piece of metal attached, with the Village symbol etched in the middle of the metal plate. Common colors for the cloth are blue, red, black, and dark gray.**

_**Jutsu: **_**art/technique/skill; both singular and plural, as m****ost Japanese nouns do not change form as they do in English. Most nouns (with the exception of nouns referring to people) have no plural form. For example: 'cat' and 'cats' are both the same word **_**neko**_**.**** Or, in this case, **_**jutsu**_** is used for both one and several techniques.**

_**Katon: **_**fire-release/fire-style. Basically fire based jutsu.**** I****s one of the basic elemental ****nature transformations****. It is performed by molding superheated chakra inside the stomach before releasing it via the lungs and mouth. There are also variants to this in the form of some mediums such as the use of gun powder, ash, explosive tags and chakra flow into a weapon. Consists of mid to long-ranged offensive techniques that cause combustive and explosive damage.****The art of having the flames obey the user's will is said to be outrageously difficult.****The chakra nature is common among shinobi of Konohagakure (Konoha; full name **_**Konohagakure no Sato**_**, the Village Hidden in the Leaves)****in the Land of Fire.**

_**Suiton: **_**water-release/water-style. Basically water based jutsu. ****is one of the basic elemental ****nature transformation**** techniques that allow the user to manipulate pre-existing water, or create their own, by turning their chakra into water. It takes much more skill and chakra to create the water outside the body than to manipulate what is already available or expel it from their mouths. One of the most versatile of the five basic chakra natures, Water Release techniques can not only change ****shape**** but ****state**** as well. Moreover, the water can become more solid in the process as well. The water affinity is seemingly more common amongst shinobi of Kiri ****(full name **_**Kirigakure no**__**Sato**_**, the Village Hidden by Mist)****. Offensive water techniques seem to inflict harm from the sudden force that they exert, which would cause massive internal damage to a human.**

_**Okaa:**_** mama/mother.**

_**Otou: **_**papa/father.**

_**Oba: **_**Aunt.**

_**Oji: **_**Uncle.**

_**Nii: **_**big brother. Variations: **_**Onii**_**, **_**Ani**_**, and **_**Aniki**_**.**

_**Tatami:**_** a type of ****mat**** used as a flooring material in traditional ****Japanese****-style rooms. Traditionally made of ****rice****straw ****to form the core (though nowadays sometimes the core is composed of compressed ****wood chip**** boards or ****polystyrene foam****), with a covering of woven ****soft rush**** (**_**igusa**_**) ****straw****, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width, an ****aspect ratio**** of 2:1. Usually, on the long sides, they have edging (**_**heri**_**) of ****brocade**** or plain cloth, although some tatami have no edging.**

**Honorifics:**

**_-san_ = this is the most common honorific, and is equivalent to Mr, Mrs, Miss, etc. It is the all-purpose honorific and can be used in any situation where politeness is required.**

**_-sama_ = one level higher than –san, it is used to confer great respect.**

**_-dono_ = comes from 'tono' which means 'lord'. It is even higher level than –sama and confers utmost respect.**

**_-kun _= is used at the end of boys' names to express familiarity or endearment. It is also sometimes used by men among friends, or when addressing someone younger or of lower station.**

**_-chan_ = is used to express endearment, mostly towards girls. It is also used for little boys, pets, and even among lovers. It gives a sense of childish cuteness.**

**[blank] = often forgotten, but perhaps the most significant difference between Japanese and English. The lack of honorific means that the speaker has permission to address the person in a very intimate way. Usually, only family, spouses, or very close friends have this kind of permission. Known as **_**yobisute**_**, it can be gratifying when someone who has earned the intimacy starts to call one by one's name without a honorific. But when the intimacy hasn't been earned, it can also be very insulting. In this story it won't play a big role, partly because Harry will spend a lot of time in England so will have to get used to it, and partly because I suspect quite a lot of readers from the HP fandom (and maybe Naruto as well) won't appreciate the use of a whole load of honorifics.**

**Autor's note/ramblings:**

**Normally I would translate 'cousin' too (_Itoko, _used forboth male and female, and without differentiation between ages), but for the sake of the readers less familiar with Japanese I decided against it. You guys will probably have issues enough with what I've already put in. That, and it might have been confusing as it is quite close to 'Itachi'.**

**Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review, I enjoy reading them very much. **


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